Three hundred fifty friends of Colorado Open Lands filled the Seawell Grand Ballroom recently to see Dean Singleton and Dan Ritchie honored as Champions of the Land.

Singleton, chairman of The Denver Post, and Ritchie, chairman and chief executive officer of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, have extensive land holdings in Colorado and are committed to saving them from development.

In 1998, Ritchie donated a significant portion of his Grand River Ranch to the University of Denver, of which he is chancellor emeritus. “The ranch has held a very special place in my heart for two decades,” he said at the time. “I love this land, but I love the University of Denver more.”

The value of his gift was estimated to be $50 million.

Highlights of the evening included videos, produced by Rocky Mountain PBS, and a discussion moderated by event co-chair Jean Galloway where the honorees spoke about their passion for the land and the importance of preserving it for generations to come.

Judi Wolf, left, and Jean Galloway. (Provided by Colorado Open Lands)

Galloway, whose co-chairs were Joy Burns, Judi Wolf and June Travis, observed that both Singleton and Ritchie had been recognized before as champions of the arts, champions of education and champions of free speech, and to add to their “legendary leadership,” they were being given a new title, Champions of the Land.

To commemorate that honor, each received an original watercolor by Western artist Willie Matthews, who was there to unveil each painting.

Also participating in the program were Dan Pike, retiring president, and Brian Ross, retiring vice president, of Colorado Open Lands, and Wendell Fleming, vice chair of the board.

Pike introduced his successor, Tony Caligiuri, who had flown in from his home in Maryland for the festivities. Caligiuri becomes president and chief executive officer of Colorado Open Lands on Nov. 1, after having served as senior vice president/conservation and education for the National Wildlife Federation.

Master of ceremonies Kirk Montgomery, left, introduces Lady Givesmore, who had some big news to share at Theatre Threads. (Steve Peterson, Special to The Denver Post)

Who is that dame? The one in the photo above, chatting it up with 9News entertainment reporter Kirk Montgomery?

That hair! Those feathers!

They could only belong to Lady Givesmore.

Never heard of Lady Givesmore?

Not to worry.

Neither had anyone else — until she minced onto the stage at the conclusion of Theatre Threads, the annual runway show where friends of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts model costumes plucked from the closets of the Denver Center Theatre Company.

Lady Givesmore didn’t just stand there and look pretty. She had something to say, and it brought the audience to its feet.

First things first, though.

Turns out she is really a he: DCPA’s irrepressible chairman, Dan Ritchie. He dressed in drag not to upstage any of the models but to bring attention to “The Legend of Georgia McBride.” It’s a play about the world of drag, and its world premiere is Jan. 10 at the DCPA.

After describing the transformation executed on Ritchie by actor Todd Peckham, Lady Givesmore announced that Ritchie had added the Denver Center Theatre Company’s Women’s Voices Fund to his will.

Event chairs John Farnam and Denise Bellucci. (Steve Peterson, Special to The Denver Post)

Which brought the audience to its feet for an enthusiastic ovation.

Theatre Threads, chaired by Denise Bellucci and John Farnam, raised about $30,000 for the DCPA’s Arts in Education Program.

Surf’s up! Or it will be on March 5 when the Beach Boys point their boards toward Colorado and (musically speaking) hang 10 at Saturday Night Alive.

The announcement came Wednesday during a kickoff reception hosted by U.S. Bank market president Hassan Salem and his wife, Sheila, and held at Mangia Bevi in Greenwood Village. The Salems are SNA’s corporate chairmen; Ernie Blake and Sharon Magness Blake the the general chairs and the Surpise Box sale will be coordinated by Bridget Orton, wife of Denver Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton, and Kathy Hatch.

Saturday Night Alive is the signature fundraiser for the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Proceeds, usually in excess of $600,000, go to the DCPA’s Arts in Education, an educational outreach that brings the arts to approximately 50,000 schoolchildren statewide each year.

Tickets are $375 (general admission), $750 (includes an overnight stay at the Hotel Teatro and Sunday brunch at Restaurant Kevin Taylor) and $1,250 (all of the above, plus a meet-and-greet with the Beach Boys) and can be purchased by visiting denvercenter.org/sna or calling 303-446-4815.

Guests at the kickoff were treated to specialty pizzas made one right after the other by Mangia Bevi owner Larry DiPasquale, burrata, lamb chops and other Italian-inspired nibbles. DiPasquale also owns Epicurean Catering, which will do the food for Saturday Night Alive.

Opening night for the Denver Center Theatre Company’s production of “Mariela in the Desert” also was the occasion for Ann Padilla and Judi Wolf to invite 65 Hispanic community leaders to a reception before the curtain went up in Ricketson Theatre.

Padilla and Wolf are trustees of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, and also are producing partners of the play that ends its run on Saturday night. A third trustee, Patricia Baca, also is a producing partner.

2004 Citizen of the Arts Dan Ritchie congratulates the 2010 honoree, Carolyn Dunn Kepner. Photo by Steve Peterson, Special to The Denver Post

Not that the Fine Arts Foundation has ever had to beat the bushes in search of an honoree, but some years the choice is obvious and some years it’s not. 2010 became an “obvious year” the minute Carolyn Dunn Kepner was nominated.
A 24-year member of the foundation board, during which time she chaired three of the dinners at which previous Citizens were honored, Kepner has never missed a Central City Opera performance in 20 years and is a regular at plays presented by the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. has been president of the Denver Center Alliance. In addition, she is a past president of the Denver Center Alliance, a past chair of Saturday Night Alive, the Summer Debutante Ball, the Heart Ball and the American Cancer Society’s former signature fundraiser, Gala Gala.
Her daughters were presented at the summer ball and two of her granddaughters had the honor of serving as tiara mistresses. The Summer Debutante Ball has since been re-named the Fine Arts Foundation Debutante Ball.
Kepner’s contributions were celebrated at the Fine Arts Jubilee, a dinner and auction chaired by Lynn Wong and Jeanne Shannon and held Jan. 29 at the Westin Tabor Center.
“I am absolutely delighted,” Kepner said of the honor. “It’s such a thrill to be here tonight … so much more exciting than I thought it would be.”
“To create a special evening in Carolyn’s honor was truly a labor of love,” Wong noted as she thanked the 18 women who served on the dinner committee.
FAF president Jody Phelps introduced the previous honorees attending the dinner — Dave and Pam Duke, Margaret Cunningham, Nancy Stamper, Dan Ritchie, Phyllis VanderArk, Charleen Dunn, Liz Frawley, Jean Watt and Sherrye Berger — and noted that several of the 2010 debutantes were there, too.Mary McNicholas put together the silent auction that preceded dinner, and conducted the live bidding that followed. She had help from Audra Dobbs, the 2009 Miss Rodeo Colorado, and students from Littleton and Cherry Creek high schools.
The well-wishers also included Judy Chiodo; Pat and Jayne Russell; Rhondda Hartman; Don and Kitty Gregg; Lynnette Morrison; Russ and Maradith Wilkins; Jim and Judith Ann Bien; Lucette Larkin; Annie and Dr. Mitchell Achee; Jan McCusker; and Lynn Hinkle and Mary Ann Harding, chair and co-chair, respectively, of the FAF’s 2010 debutante ball.

Pat Grant, the National Western Stock Show's chief executive, salutes Citizens of the West Tom and Becky Kourlis, and their children: Stacy, Kate and Tommy. Photo by Steve Peterson, Special to The Denver Post

Beef. It’s what’s for dinner, and it has been for each of the 32 meals that have been held in honor of the men and women named Citizen of the West.

It was served this year, too, only instead of a big ole slab of prime rib or a grilled New York strip, it came in the form of a filet mignon topped with red wine sauce that was snuggled up next to a lamb chop.

“History is being made tonight,” master of ceremonies Dan Ritchie advised the 800 guests as they prepared to dig into a meal that also included Greek salad, oregano risotto, grilled mushrooms, green beans and roasted Mediterranean vegetables. “It’s the first time in dinner history that lamb has been served.”

Which might not seem like such a big deal, except for the fact that one half of the couple being honored this year, Tom Kourlis, is a sheep rancher from Craig and asked that lamb be included. Kourlis, state agriculture commissioner during Gov. Roy Romer’s administration, also is the son of Greek immigrants, which no doubt inspired the rest of the entree choices. Dessert, traditionally chosen by the honoree, was Geneva’s Famous Chocolate Date Cake with carmelized pecans and chocolate sauce, prepared from a recipe handed down from the late Ann Love, mother of co-honoree Rebecca Kourlis.

Ann Love and her husband, former Gov. John Love, were Citizens of the West in 1989.

The Citizen of the West Dinner is the social centerpiece of the National Western Stock Show and is a benefit for the National Western Scholarship Trust. The 2010 edition was held at the Hyatt Regency Convention Center and planned by an arrangements committee headed by Brooke Fox and a steering committee directed by Tom Stephens and Nancy Petry.

Dan Ritchie, the master of ceremonies, was Citizen of the West in 1998 and was chancellor of the University of Denver in 2006 when Becky Kourlis, whose law degree is from Stanford, stepped down as a Colorado Supreme Court Justice to establish the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System, a “think/do tank” headquartered on the DU campus. Ritchie is now chairman of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.

The Kourlis children — Stacy, who is in graduate school; Kate, who works in finance in New York City; and Aristhithis (Tommy), who turns 14 this year — presented the working branding iron and Stetson hat(s) that symbolize the honor.

Former Vice President Dick Cheney, U.S. Sen. Al Simpson, the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Byron White, and Bill Coors also are former Citizens of the West, as is former University of Colorado president Hank Brown, who attended with his wife, Nan. The Browns were seated with 2006 honoree Sue Anschutz-Rodgers and a group that included Lucette and photographer Fred Larkin and Colorado Historical Society president Ed Nichols and his wife, Meg.

The well-wishers ranged from previous honorees to past and present lawmakers and Becky Kourlis’ college roommates.

Gov. Bill Ritter and Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper both spoke, as did Pat Grant, president and chief executive officer of the National Western Stock Show, and Becky Kourlis’ brother, Dan Love.

The fans didn’t shriek quite like they did in the Ed Sullivan Theater back in 1964, but the enthusiasm was defintely there when 350 friends of the Denver Center Alliance were seated front and center at Denver’s Buell Theatre for “Rain,” a Beatles tribute show starring the faux Fab Four: Ralph Castelli (Ringo); Joey Curatolo (Paul McCartney); Joe Bithorn (George Harrison) and Steve Landes (John Lennon).
After seeing the show on Sept. 26, the Alliance followers adjourned to the Donald R. Seawell Grand Ballroom for Beatles Bash, a dinner party highlighted by the presentation of the 2009 Florence K. Ruston Award for Philanthropy in the Arts to Leo and Susan Kiely.
The Kielys — he is chief executive officer at Molson-Coors — were honored for their longstanding personal and corporate support of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Separately and as a couple they have held leadership positions on the DCPA’s governing board and the Alliance’s signature fund-raiser, Saturday Night Alive. They have also arranged for the brewery to sponsor numerous DCPA programs, especially those involving students, community outreach and accessibility.
In fact, they were even one of four couples chairing Beatles Bash, serving with Dan Ritchie and Joy Burns; Margot and Allan Frank; and Faye and Dr. Reginald Washington. Ritchie is the DCPA’s chairman.
The award was presented by Ruston’s daughter, Adrienne Ruston Fitzgibbons, who attended Beatles Bash with her husband, Jack.
The evening’s $50,000 profit goes to the DCPA’s student matinee program.BJ Dyer and Guenther Vogt, owners of Bouquets, oversaw the decor, festooning Seawell Ballroom in electric colors reminiscent of the psychedelic 1960s. The floral artists had double-duty that night, also decorating the Sheraton Denver Downtown for the High Hopes Carousel Ball.
Guests included Mayor John Hickenlooper; DCPA founder Donald Seawell; Kent Thompson, artistic director of the Denver Center Theatre Company, and his wife, actress Kathleen McCall; Qwest’s chief executive, Ed Mueller, and his wife, Susan; Jack Finlaw, the city’s director of theaters and arenas, with partner Greg Movesian; Alliance president Gayle Novak and her husband, Ed; Roger Ogden and Ann Penny; Stan and Sarah Sena, who are chairing Saturday Night Alive 2010; Dutchess Scheitler; Edna Chang-Grant; Barry and Mary Berlin; Hilja Herfurth; Jerry and Debi Tepper; Martin and JoAnn Semple; Jim and Kate Taucher; Jane Prancan; Bob Grabowski and Ann Padilla; Bob and Carole Slosky; and former Ruston Award recipients Bob and Judi Newman and Jim and Alison Shetter.

Harry T. Lewis Jr. grew up in Denver’s Park Hill neighborhood, earned an MBA from Dartmouth, served as a leader in the investment world and spearheaded numerous projects that addressed Denver’s growth, planning and future development.
On Nov. 1, Colorado Bright Beginnings honored him for these contributions and more at a dinner held in the Donald R. Seawell Grand Ballroom.
“Harry truly understands the value of early childhood development and the
importance of providing parents with support and encouragement to shape
their children’s lives,” observes Kyle Seedorf, vice chair of the Bright Beginnings board. “We are honored that he is helping us get the message out about the power parents have to influence their children’s
future.”
Founded by then-Gov. Roy Romer and the late Brad Butler, a retired chief executive for Procter & Gamble, the nonprofit organization provides Colorado parents with guidance, knowledge and tools to create a bright beginning for their children during the critical first three years of life.
Lewis began his professional life as a certified public accountant with what was then known as Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. Later, he became a
general partner and executive committee member at Boettcher & Co., and a senior vice president/Rocky Mountain Region for Dain Bosworth, Inc.
before starting his own firm, Lewis Investments.
Lewis, who is widowed, has had numerous leadership positions with such groups as the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce; Downtown Denver, Inc.; the Regional Transportation District; Denver Museum of Nature and Science; and and the Stapleton Redevelopment Foundation.
Lewis also served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.
“You Are the Sunshine of My Life” was the dinner’s theme, and guests included George and Karyn Sparks (he chairs the Bright Beginnings board and is the chief executive at Denver Museum of Nature and Science); the 2006 honoree, Dr. Dean Prina; Brad Butler’s widow, Erna Butler, an honorary board member; and her daughter and son-in-law, Nancy and Tony Accetta. Nancy serves as secretary of the Bright Beginnings board.
Also in the crowd of 400: Caz Matthews, director of Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield’s WellPoint Foundation; former board chair Dr. Steve Berman and his wife, Elaine, a member of the State Board of Education; Terry Biddinger, director of external relations for the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center School of Nursing; Dan Ritchie, chancellor emeritus of the University of Denver and current leader of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts; Delta Dental of Colorado President Kate Paul; and Barry and Arlene Hirschfeld.
And, state Sen. Chris Romer; the superintendent of the Denver Public Schools, Michael Bennet; Denver City Council members Carol Boigon and Doug Linkhart; Megan Ferland, executive director of the Colorado Children’s Campaign; Elsa Holguin of the Rose Community Foundation; United Way chief Michael Durkin; George Beardsley; Gail Klapper; Trygve and Vicki Myhren; Anna Alejo of the Western Union Foundation; Schenkein co-owner Leanna Clark; 7News anchor Bertha Lynn; Colorado Symphony chairman Cy Harvey and his wife, Lyndia; Wells Fargo Bank senior vice president Pat Cortez; interior designer David Alexander; and Colorado & Co. co-host Mark McIntosh, the evening’s emcee.
Sponsors included Erna Butler, Wells Fargo, Denver Investment
Advisors, CH2MHill, the Piton Foundation, Martha Records and Rich
Rainaldi, Key Bank and the WellPoint Foundation
Bright Beginnings’ programs are free and are provided by 14
regional affiliates that reach all of Colorado’s 64 counties. In
2006, more than 12,000 families benefited from the organization’s work.
For more information about Colorado Bright Beginnings, call 303-433-6200
or visit brightbeginningsco.org.

Pictures taken at the Bright Beginnings gala can be viewed at denverpost.com/SeenGallery.

Denver Post Society Editor Joanne Davidson can be reached at 303-809-1314 or jdavidson@denverpost.com. Her column appears every Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.

A luncheon at the Loews Denver Hotel was the occasion for the Denver Center Alliance to install its slate of new officers. Cindi Burge, a past chair of the group’s signature fund-raiser, Saturday Night Alive, accepted the president’s gavel at this event chaired by Sharon Whiton Gelt.Read more…

… not on the way to the forum, but at Curious Theatre on Wednesday night when the second Denver Stories lit up the stage. The five original skits poking good-natured fun at Westword editor Patricia Calhoun, theater impresario Robert Garner, chef Troy Guard, public relations ace Andrew Hudson, and philanthropist Judi Wolf brought howls of laughter from a crowd that was as high-profile as those being skewered.
My column-writing colleague Bill Husted has details about the skits in today’s Denver Post, so I’ll fill you in on who was there.
Co-chairs Holly Kylberg and Dr. Dean Prina, for sure, and such others as the past and previous chiefs of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Don Seawell and Dan Ritchie; attorney Steve Choquette, president of the Curious Theatre board; Chip Walton, the producing artistic director; and the sponsors of Curious Theatre’s upcoming 10th anniversary season, Jeremy and Susan Shamos.
The Shamoses also were the sponsors of the Judi Wolf skit, “Little Red Do Some Good.”
Also, University of Denver trustee Joy Burns’ CBS4 chief Walt DeHaven with fiancee Wendy Aiello; public relations master Rex John; travel agent Don Greco; and photographer Alana Rothstein, a Denver native now based in Los Angeles who shot the commemorative photos of the inspirations for this year’s Denver Stories.
We also spotted Roselyn Saunders; Douglas Kerbs; Jamie Angelich; Ernie Blake and Sharon Magness Blake; Peggy Beck; Bradley Joseph; Allan Frank and Margot Gilbert Frank; Britta Erickson; Ernest Gurule; Aaron and Sandee LaPedis; Roger Hutson; Elizabeth Neid; Jamie Van Leeuwen; Carol Wolf; Terry Vitale and John Head; and Judi Wolf’s sons, Lance, Victor and Marco Chayet with their wives, Barbara, Susan and Paige.
Troy Guard not only was part of the show, he donated the cocktails and hors d’oeuvres served before guests took their seats and hosted the after-party at his Nine75 restaurant. Gateaux provided the sweets served at intermission.Pictures from Denver Stories can be viewed at denverpost.com/SeenGallery.

Society Editor Joanne Davidson’s column appears every Sunday, Wednesday and Friday in the Scene section. She can be reached at 303-809-1314 or jdavidson@denverpost.com. While she may never star in Denver Stories, she sure could provide the writers with some interesting fodder.